Supreme Court protects Maryland's strict gun licensing law from challenge

In recent months, the U.S. Supreme Court has chosen not to engage with challenges to gun control laws in Delaware and Maryland, marking a significant moment in ongoing debates about firearm regulations. In Delaware, the state's ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, enacted by the Democratic-controlled legislature, has faced opposition from Second Amendment advocates. A group seeking a preliminary injunction against this law claimed it was unconstitutional. However, both the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit and the Supreme Court declined to halt the law, citing nothing extraordinary that justified such an intervention. Similarly, Maryland's stringent handgun licensing law, which includes requirements for fingerprint submission and safety training, has been contested in court. The challengers argued that these regulations hinder Second Amendment rights. While the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had previously ruled against the law, the full court later found that Maryland's licensing regime aligns with historical firearm regulations and is constitutional. The Supreme Court's refusal to hear this appeal indicated its reluctance to address state-level gun control laws directly. These decisions are occurring in the context of a broader struggle in U.S. courts regarding gun regulations following the landmark 2022 Supreme Court ruling in NYSRPA v. Bruen. This ruling expanded gun rights and established that firearm laws must have significant historical precedent. Despite this, the Supreme Court has been more inclined to focus on disputes involving federal gun laws rather than state regulations. Consequently, the justices have been petitioned over various state-specific challenges that have emerged since the Bruen decision. Looking ahead, the Supreme Court is also deliberating a case related to the Biden administration's regulations on firearm parts kits, which can be assembled into untraceable guns termed 'ghost guns.' The court's ruling on this matter is expected soon. Overall, the Supreme Court's current stance reveals a tendency to avoid taking a definitive position on state gun control measures, leaving lower courts to navigate the complexities of gun rights and regulations in a patchwork manner that lacks nationwide uniformity.